Police investigate grisly find
Woman’s body parts discovered in 2 separate locations in city
The coroner’s office is continuing toxicological and biological testing on human remains — including a torso and a leg — that were found in two separate locations over a 24- hour period this weekend.
Preliminary results from the post-mortem have found that the body parts were from the same person — a white female, Det. Sgt. Gary Giroux said at a news conference yesterday. The gruesome discovery was made late Friday afternoon. City workers found what appeared to be a leg at a waste transfer depot on Bermondsey Rd. in North York at about 5: 50 p. m. After police arrived, the coroner and pathologist were called in and the leg was sent to the coroner’s office for a post- mortem. Then yesterday morning at about 7, another body part was found — a torso. This time the remains were found by a Parkdale resident who spotted the torso behind a grey Volkswagen Jetta in a laneway behind his house off Elm Grove Ave., south of Queen St. W. Police were again called as were the coroner and pathologist. The remains had to be from the same person, police believe. After all it was too striking a coincidence to find two separate body parts within 24 hours, said Giroux, a member of Toronto’s homicide squad, which is heading the investigation.
“ It was very disturbing,” Giroux said. “Certainly the citizens who made these discoveries must be very upset.” And while much about the body parts are not yet known, the police, the coroner and the pathologist have compiled some details based on the post- mortem and measurements taken during the autopsy.
Giroux is hoping this picture will bring forward someone who might have known the deceased. “ She is 150 to 170 lbs. She is 5’ 6” to 5’ 9” approximately,” said Giroux. “ She has light- brown hair. She has a vertical abdominal scar just below her belly button down to her pubic area and she has no tattoos.” The deceased was wearing a cloth tensor bandage with the heel exposed on the right foot and her shoe size is approximately 71⁄ to 8, Giroux said. She wore a distinctive gold anklet sold by Avon — made up of five butterflies with diamond-like stones — on her left ankle.
Giroux would not comment last night on whether police were still looking for other body parts or if they had found any more remains.
Tests are still to be conducted to determine whether the woman had been sexually assaulted. It is not known how long she had been dead or how long the body parts had been at either spot. The coroner was conducting further tests to see if a time of death could be established. But what is clear, said Giroux, is that both locations where the body parts were found were just drop- off points. Giroux said he doesn’t believe an attack took place at either location and police are looking elsewhere for a crime scene. Meanwhile, police are continuing their investigations at both sites where the body parts were found and are going through missing persons cases to see if anyone matches the description of the deceased. Giroux urged anyone who is missing a loved one or friend that might fit this description to contact the police or the homicide squad.
Residents on quiet, tree- lined Elm Grove Ave. were shocked to hear what had happened.
“ This place used to have a bad reputation but it was drugs and prostitutes, not murder,” said hip-hop artist J. P. “And it’s changed so much over the past few years. A lot of people who have moved in are new to the neighbourhood and that’s helped with the transformation.
“ Chopped up bodies? Wow. All we hear these days is about kids and guns. This is . . . different. This makes for a good song, right on my street.” Another resident, Madeline Thompson, called the gruesome find “ horrible . . . disgusting. But if it’s true that the crime wasn’t committed here, then I’m not afraid. I’ve been here five years. I love this street and the neighbourhood. We’re not used to seeing police with dogs.”
Police ask those with information to call 416- 808- 7387.